Chapter Twenty-Eight: Disguise

When they rushed out, they were immediately shocked.

The dozen or so fine horses tethered before the door were all dead, their bodies withered and shriveled, their blood vanished, lying on the ground like rotted wood. The two men who had been standing guard outside were likewise reduced to shriveled husks, dead beyond all doubt.

"Oh no, something has happened!"
"There's an enemy!"

The three martial artists cried out in alarm. They quickly drew their swords, assumed defensive stances, and retreated frantically back into the inn.

"Heh-heh-heh..."

Suddenly, an eerie laughter drifted down from above their heads, carrying a bone-chilling aura. The three men’s expressions changed, and they hurriedly looked up.

Perched upside down beneath the plaque above them was a cyan-colored infant, about two feet tall, with skin of deep indigo. Its pitch-black, vortex-like eyes were fixed tightly upon them, a bizarre smile plastered across its face.

A jolt of terror struck the three men, their scalps tingling with dread.

"What is that thing?"

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

*Argh!*

Screams rang out. In the blink of an eye, the three men were reduced to mummified corpses before anyone could even react. The others inside the inn finally rushed out, and upon catching sight of the cyan infant, they were all struck with astonishment.

"What is that?"
"Take it down!"

The group snapped into action, drawing blades and swords, and charged forward immediately. In their limited understanding, they did not stop to consider the supernatural nature of the creature; they simply lunged at it on instinct.

The cyan infant let out a giggle, its body flickering so fast it left only afterimages, vanishing into the darkness in the distance.

"Don't you run!"

The group of martial artists roared and quickly gave chase.

Chen Xuan, hiding on the roof of the backyard, watched with a mixture of shock and racing heart. The strength of this cyan infant seemed to have grown. He was certainly no match for it now. If he wanted to deal with this creature, he would have to seek help, but he was a stranger in these parts and had no members of the Five Poisons Sect to assist him.

A daring thought bubbled up in Chen Xuan’s mind. If he wanted to eliminate the infant quickly, perhaps he could seek the help of the righteous path. The unorthodox factions were currently scattered, making a gathering difficult; blending into the righteous camp seemed the best approach. If this infant truly had been drawn to him, then by infiltrating the righteous camp, he would inevitably lead the creature there. This would serve two purposes: he could borrow the strength of righteous experts to slay the monster, and the infant could wreak havoc among the righteous alliance, taking out many of their number in the process.

It was killing two birds with one stone.

"Wait, when did my thinking become so wicked? I am a public-spirited, exemplary student. Eliminating the wicked and protecting the good is my responsibility, and performing good deeds is my hobby. I help elderly ladies across the street once or twice every week," Chen Xuan muttered to himself.

Still, once he entered the righteous camp, if his true identity were discovered, he would surely meet a gruesome end. His expression shifted between light and shadow as he whispered, "Fortune favors the bold. I'll give it a try."

Although the righteous path had issued a warrant for him, only a few had actually seen his face. The rest only knew he was bald and possessed a cyan arm. Therefore, he only needed to wear a wig, wrap his right arm, and apply some disguise to his face to potentially pass through unnoticed. After all, the three great righteous families had joined forces with dozens of sects and clans from Yun Prefecture; with so many people of all walks of life present, it was unlikely anyone would pay him much mind.

Having decided, he acted immediately. He tore off his outer garment and quickly wrapped his entire right arm. Then, while the others were busy chasing the cyan infant, he dashed back into the inn and returned to the room where the mother and daughter were staying.

"Young hero, you've returned."

The middle-aged woman hurried forward. The sounds of shouting and screaming from outside had left them terrified.

"Madam, please do me a favor. Help me apply some medicinal plaster and a fake beard to my face," Chen Xuan said.

The woman was stunned for a moment, then realized his intent and immediately fetched some materials from the room. Plasters were common and stocked in every room for guests. She carefully cut a few pieces and applied them to Chen Xuan’s forehead and left cheek, then fashioned a short beard from a tuft of hair and gently glued it to his chin.

Chen Xuan looked in the mirror, his eyes lighting up in surprise. The woman was quite skilled. With the plasters and the beard, he could barely recognize himself.

"Excellent, thank you, Madam." Chen Xuan smiled. "Oh, and please help me attach this wig as well."

He removed his headscarf and took out the wig. The woman smiled and helped him secure it, and soon the hair was perfectly in place.

"Young hero, can we... can we leave this place? Could you see us to safety?" the girl asked nervously from the side.

Chen Xuan frowned, his expression solemn. "It is even more dangerous outside. Not only are the righteous and evil factions clashing, but there are monsters afoot. Being with me is not safe; it is the most dangerous place of all."

He was now more convinced than ever that he had attracted the cyan infant. After all, the abnormal reaction of his arm had been distinct, and he had long suspected that he had pried something out of the creature’s mouth back then. Now, that suspicion seemed confirmed. Otherwise, why would his arm react, and why would the infant appear here of all places?

The girl and her mother were startled, too frightened to speak.

"Madam, Miss, you should continue to hide in the inn. Don't go anywhere. If you must leave, do it during the day. There are more righteous people about then, and the chances of meeting scoundrels are lower. Also, do not drink the well water; I have already poisoned it. Don't drink the water from the spring outside either—it's likely poisoned as well. Take some water from your room!" Chen Xuan instructed.

"Understood. Thank you, young hero. May I ask your name? We will surely build a monument for you; we are deeply grateful for your great kindness," the mother said, bowing.

Chen Xuan pondered for a moment. "I am Chen Xuan, the Carefree Young Master."

He turned and leaped into the darkness, vanishing from sight.

"Carefree Young Master, Chen Xuan..." The girl’s eyes glimmered with an unusual light, and she remained dazed for a moment.

...

In the dark of night, a group of martial artists roared, blades and swords in hand, chasing the cyan infant ahead. The leader, a youth in a blue robe, stood out; his clothes fluttered as he held a shimmering cold-steel sword, his eyes sharp and focused.

His name was Wang Shutian, from the Wang family of Yun Prefecture. With a cultivation at the ninth level of Qi Accumulation, he was formidable, and none of the martial artists following him were weak, with the lowest being at the sixth level.

However, shortly after their pursuit began, they suddenly lost track of the cyan infant. The town was pitch black. Cold winds whistled through the streets. Debris danced across the ground, and a gloomy, eerie atmosphere hung in the air. It was indescribably strange.

Wang Shutian frowned, stopped, and scanned his surroundings with a wary, uncertain gaze. "What exactly was that thing? Did you see it clearly?"

"Young Master, it seemed to be an infant, only about two feet tall, but it moved like the wind—incredibly fast and bizarre," a youth in white beside him said, his expression shifting.

The others also felt a sense of unease. They had only dared to give chase because of their numbers, but upon reflection, the creature was truly demonic. It was indigo-skinned, small-bodied, and wore no clothes. It looked just like a newborn infant. But could a newborn run so fast?

"Young Master Wang, you are well-versed in the classics. Have you ever seen such a thing before?" a man wielding twin blades asked in surprise.

Wang Shutian’s expression was grim. "Never."

The group grew even more apprehensive. Wang Shutian looked around once more before saying, "Let’s return to the inn."

The enemy was in the shadows, while they were in the light; fighting in this environment was clearly to their disadvantage. Besides, they had no idea what that infant was. Thinking about it now, a sense of dread began to creep in.

The others nodded in agreement. Just as they were about to turn back, a sharp gust of wind erupted from an alleyway, accompanied by that same "heh-heh-heh" laughter, as the creature lunged at them.

Before one of the martial artists could react, a black shadow pounced on him. With a soft *puff*, all the blood in his body was instantly drained, leaving him a shriveled corpse. The others’ expressions changed, and they immediately sprang into action.

"It’s that infant! It’s back!"
"Stop it!"

Wang Shutian was startled; his long sword flashed from its scabbard, emitting a cold, icy light like a streak of lightning. It was a swift, accurate, and ruthless strike—the Nine-Palace Sword Technique!

However, the cyan infant was incredibly fast. After pouncing on one man, it flashed away like a ghost, impossible to track. It swept past two others, and in an instant, they too were reduced to shriveled husks.

The attacks from the others landed on the infant but failed to inflict even the slightest scratch. Whether it was sword skills, blade techniques, or hidden weapons, every strike felt as if it had landed on soft cotton. They couldn't pierce its skin; the most they could do was knock it back.

The cyan infant giggled and turned to flee into the alley. But Wang Shutian had already locked onto it. The moment it was knocked backward, he leaped forward, unleashing the Nine-Palace Sword Technique. As the infant tried to escape, it was caught in the net of Wang’s sword aura.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

His swordplay unfolded—dense, brilliant, and infused with the secrets of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. The sword light was bright enough to blind, and he sought to execute the infant within his strike.

Yet, just like the others' attacks, no matter how profound his technique, it failed to find purchase on the cyan infant. After more than a dozen strikes, the hundred-refined steel sword in Wang Shutian’s hand snapped with a sharp *crack*, sending shards flying.

Wang Shutian’s expression changed.

"Heh-heh-heh..."

The cyan infant let out a strange laugh and, trailing a sinister, icy aura, lunged directly at Wang Shutian’s chest.

Wang Shutian’s hair stood on end. He hurriedly channeled all his internal energy into his palms, executing his family’s supreme skill, the "Red Sand Palm," and struck out at the infant. The other martial artists roared as they launched their own variety of attacks.

*Bang!*

With a muffled thud, Wang Shutian was sent flying backward, blood spilling from his mouth. His left wrist was broken, and his palms were stained a dark, bruised blue, hissing as if touched by a deadly poison.

The cyan infant was also knocked back by the collective force of the group. However, it remained completely unharmed. Realizing the true strength of its opponents, it did not flee this time. Its swirling, vortex-like eyes fixed on them, and with a giggle, it pounced once more.

The group of martial artists felt a chill strike their hearts, overcome by immense terror. Someone screamed, and the crowd descended into chaos, scattering in all directions.

Wang Shutian’s face paled as he roared, "Come back! Do not panic!"